1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a system for reading microscope slides in an automated fashion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional biomedical microscopy generally has entailed laborious preparation of samples from a patient onto microscope slides followed by the sequential evaluation of each slide by a microscopist to determine if the patient samples indicate a biomedical condition. The process of evaluating slides is not only costly, but expends valuable time delaying treatment of biomedical maladies that may be detected.
One means for improving the efficiency of microscopy is to automate the process of presenting the slides for analysis under the microscope. A possible approach to this automation is taught by Georges in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,248,498 and 4,367,915, both entitled Automatic Microscope Slide. The mechanism disclosed there includes the microscope slides removably housed in a storage magazine, and a first actuator mechanism which removes each slide, in succession, from the magazine. The slide thus removed is directly positioned for microscopic viewing by an XYZ stage. After viewing, the slide is automatically replaced to its original position in the slide magazine by a second actuator. The magazine is repositioned for access to the next slide, to be examined, and the process is repeated. The identification of the slide is determined solely by its location in the magazine. Any data associated with a given slide is separately recorded and associated with the slide only by means of reference to the slide's address location in the magazine. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,248,498 and 4,367,915 do not address means for uniquely identifying slides which are not placed in their assigned locations or insuring linkage of the slide with its separately recorded data. Further, the location of regions of interest on the slide are not directly addressable; position data is only determinable for the slide holder.